1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to an automotive transmission and more particularly to an oil flow passage arrangement that feeds a given part of the transmission with a lubricating oil or a hydraulic fluid.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to clarify the present invention, known oil flow passage arrangements of an automatic transmission will be described briefly in the following, which are disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Applications (Tokkaihei) 10-205609 and 8-303560.
The oil flow passage arrangements disclosed in the published applications are of a type that comprises generally an oil flow passage that is defined in a casing of the transmission and an oil flow passage that is defined in a separate pipe member that is connected to the oil flow passage of the casing. In the oil flow passage arrangement of the published application 10-205609, the separate pipe member has a leading end that is located near a moving part (viz., a transmission belt of belt-type continuously variable transmission) and equipped with a nozzle (or orifice). Under operation of the transmission, a pressurized lubricating oil is ejected from the nozzle to the moving part to lubricate the same. In the oil flow passage arrangement of the other published application 8-303560, the separate pipe member has one end portion that is actually received in the oil flow passage defined in the transmission casing. The end portion of the pipe member is formed with an orifice through which a pressurized lubricating oil is led into the oil flow passage of the casing and ejected to moving parts (viz., bearings) through respective branch passages.